Resident Evil Revelations review (3DS)

Resident Evil Revelations is the newest entry in the long running survival horror franchise sarted on the psx. The game takes place between the events of 4 and 5 and tells the story of what happened at Terragrigia, a floating city in the Medditeranian Sea ravaged by an outbeak of the t-virus. You will jump between teams of two over many different environments such as an infected city, snowy mountains, and an abandoned ship. The ship itself is the main hub or section of the game consisting of many different environments from cabin quarters, a bridge, casino, and cafateria. There are many other parts of the ship but i dont want to spoil all of the different ares you will see.

The enemies in the ship are now ooze, zombies that can pop out of anything from vents to the grates in the floor. It keeps the tension high because you are never safe in any part of the ship. They look more like something from silent hill than resident evil but its nice to have some new enemies in addition to the hunters and other classic enemies. Theres also some very frantic bosses and 2 in particular will scare the s*** out of you. The leadup to the fights are 2 of the most tense and psycological parts of any of the RE's. You will know something is coming but will have to face your fear and venture forth despite everything in you telling you to haul ass the other direction.

You will play as a few different characters throughout the game but the bulk of the game is played from the point of view of Jill Valentine. You and your partner Parker are sent to investigate a ship called The Queen Zenobia where Chris Redfield and his partner Jessica Sherawat have dissapeared to after a mission.

In classic Resident Evil fashion you will start with few weapons and have to explore the ship unlocking new areas and backtracking to reach new areas previously unavailable. The good news to those who disliked the direction the series went with RE5 is that the ship is pure survival horror. It takes the place of the mansion from the earlier games and every bit as atmospheric, scary, and creepy. The other levels serve as a break from the tension of the ship and are, for the most part pure action. This is a happy medium between the classic games and the newer ones.

The game controls similarly to 4 and 5 but now you have the ability to move and shoot at the same time which improves the flow of combat greatly. The game controls perfectly fine with one circle pad due to the creative layouts capcom uses. One has you aiming with gyro so the circle pad can be used to move while aiming and it works suprisingly well. So well in fact i almost prefer it to the cpp 2 circle pad layout, almost. I have the cpp and while il review that seperately i will say that it turns the 3ds into a console experience and is one of the most comfortable controller layouts ever almost rivaling the 360 controller for me.

The small inventory used in most RE's is gone in this entry. Now you may hold virtually every gun you find although only 3 can be equipped at a time. There are slots on most guns allowing for mods to be added that do everything from upping power to lowering (or raising) enemy agression. Another thing i have to mention is the new Genesis. Its a scanner that is used to find hidden items, scan enemies, and find hidden extras like handprints which unlock rewards. It reminded me alot of the visor from Metroid Prime and is an awesome addition to the series. It really adds alot of extra depth and will compel those ADD gamers like me to scan every enemy and location. The game is set to play out in episodes to fit better with the portable nature of the 3ds. Each episode starts with a "previously on Resident Evil Revelations" and usually ends in a cliffhanger. This works very well and makes the game very easy to pick up and play in short bursts while still leaving the game enjoyable for longer sessions.

The graphics in this game are hands down the best on the 3ds. Character models are fantastic and environments are incredibly detailed. Capcom has upped the anti with Revelations it almost looks like your playing a console version like RE5 at times with the wonderful effects and lighting.

The 3d has in-game settings allowing you crank the 3d to a crazy amount. The graphics do take a hit in 3d as everything is more jaggy but the effect is wonderful.

The campaign takes about 10-12 hours to complete and is one of the finest the series has ever had. The story is filled with twists nd turns and was suprisingly good for a side story. I can see why Capcom debated naming this game RE6. There many different bosses and you will want to start up the campaign again right after you finish with a harder difficultu setting.

There are now in game awards and missions which reward you for doing certain things like scanning all enemies, dodging 20 times, and completing the campain without using any herbs. There are mission sets for the campaign and raid mode unlocking characters, skins, and guns for raid mode and ammo, weapons, and other things to help you in the campaign. It really makes the game addictive as theres always something new to unlock and strive for.

Raid mode is a new mode which takes the place of the mercinaries mode in previous games. Its basically (40) levels ripped from the campaign playable with 2 players. It adds health bars to enemies and characters can be leveled up to become more powerful. You compete with your partner to get more BP points but also have to work together if you expect to survive the sometimes brutal levels. There is a store available to purchase ammo, guns, and upgrades with the BP you recieve from completing the campaign and raid mode levels. It turns out to be the most addictive part of the game. It blows mercinaries mode out of the water and hopefully will become a staple of the series. Its available for solo play, local co-op, and online co-op. Im glad to report that online works flawlessly and you are rewarded with new missions for playing with people. Sometimes when you play someone you will get a mission to find and kill a zombified version of that person complete with thier name above them in a certain level. Its an awesome little thing they threw in to make it more fun and its pretty awesome to see your friend and read a note about how they turned into a zombie. Overall raid mode is fantasic and will be played for a long time to come. Its the best shooter and co-op experience on the 3ds.

Resident Evil Revelations is the best game on the 3ds and the best handheld game ive ever played. The graphics are stunning, gameplay is amazing, and raid mode adds so much longevity and fun to the game. Any Resident Evil owes it to themselves to pick up this game. It might just be the best title in the series as an overall package.

Ups

Graphics

Excellent Campain

Raid Mode is fantastic

Downs

Screen can be a little dark at times

Score

9.5

Graphics
Phenominal. I cant believe how great this looks on the 3ds. It really is a console experience on the go.

9.5

Sound
The sound is great. Really adds to the atmosphere of the game. Make sure to plug in some headphones and prepare to be scared to death at parts.

9.5

Gameplay
The controls are perfect with gyro and the cpp makes it play exactly like a console game. The ship levels are intense and creepy. The action levels are full throttle nonstop fighting for your life. A perfect mix of old and new.

10.0

Fun factor
The campaign is fun, raid mode is addictive, exploring the Queen Zenobia is a thrilling experience.